​tend the garden

[Verse 1]
I was young, it was the '60s, you see
I never wanted to be the chief of anything
So it was singing in the church for me
Behind the organ was as close as I'd ever be
There was a woman that I knew before
She was in Auckland, she was spoken for
My hair was short, my skin was brown
I did construction work from town to town
There were things we did and should not have done
Been half a century since I seen my sons

[Chorus]
Lord knows if they would ever forgive me
I won't forgive myself, at least
There are strange forces in the air only time can unleash
In a way I still believe

[Verse 2]
I fell in love, it was the '90s, you see
I met a woman across the Tasman in '83
And we settled down and raised a couple kids
But I couldn't bring myself to tell 'em what I did
I hope that one day if they find my sons
They'll tell 'em everything that I've become
And I will hold it 'til my dying breath
When I tend the garden, I will think of them
But my youngest kid, he can't shut his mouth
I guess it won't be long 'til the truth is out

[Chorus]
Lord knows if they would ever forgive me
I don't forgive myself, at least
There are strange forces in the air only time can release
In a way I still believe

[Spoken Interlude]
You know, with your dad
He had his reasons
You know, to, to leave the island
Go to New Zealand, to go to Australia

[Verse 3]
In the instance of pain
I look straight down at the iris
If the irises fade
I spend days out in the yard
In the absence of rain
I take a seat down at the organ
And I play
Lord, I play
Ah